Malls aren't dead. They're in transition.

Nov 27, 2023
The most successful malls are going back to their roots as multipurpose destinations, instead of just retail centers.
The Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota, opened in 1956 as a place where people could escape chilly winters and socialize without going downtown.
Simon.com via Wikimedia Commons

Mall-to-medicine transitions make health care more convenient for suburban patients

Apr 13, 2022
With abundant parking and layouts that are easy to navigate, one-time shopping malls are attractive to some medical facilities looking to expand.
More than a decade ago, Vanderbilt University Medical Center moved 22 specialty clinics to a former mall, now taking up 440,000 square feet of One Hundred Oaks in Nashville.
Blake Farmer/WPLN News

Experiential shopping doesn't seem to be helping malls

Apr 16, 2019
A new study shows that adding experiential stores to malls doesn't seem to be increase customer foot traffic.
An ornate lighting fixture hangs in the lobby connecting a parking structure to the main area of the Americana at Brand shopping community in Glendale, California.
Shea Huffman/Marketplace

US retail is hurting, and your mall is probably feeling it

May 16, 2017
Brick-and-mortar stores are plagued by closures and job loss post-election.
People walk through a nearly empty shopping mall in Waterbury, Connecticut. 
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Atlanta mall lures customers by offering events

Dec 23, 2016
A mall developer landed on "experiences" as the way to compete for retail shoppers in an online world.
Atlantic Station lets local groups use its space at a discounted rate because people who come for events often shop at the mall too.
Immanuel Cruz

'Dead malls' get new life

Jul 5, 2013
Shopping malls around the country are dropping like flies. Roughly a third have trouble keeping the lights on.

For public good, not for profit.

How can we repurpose dead malls and big box stores?

Aug 26, 2010
I did a story about Costco's decision to lease out space at a couple malls around the country. (Listen here.) It got me wondering about other, l...